Retractable step for streamline railway cars



April 21, 1936,;

I. G. LINDSTEDT RETRACTABLE S'I EP FOR STREAMLINE RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1936. G. LINDSTEDT 2,037,805

RETRACTABLE STEP FOR STREAMLINE RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Shae? 2 (Jar Ci Lz'ndszedi Patented Apr. 21, I936 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE RETRACTABLE s'rnr FOR 'STREAMLINE RAILWAY cans livar G. Lindstedt, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application August 17, 1934, Serial No..740,333

screams. .(Cl.105-447):

Wind .tunnel tests have demonstrated that extent to which the door may be opened is limmuch of the advantage which results from ited by a stop 23. A sliding door may be used in streamlining railway cars and similar vehicles is place of the swinging-door, if desired. lost again by the wind resistance of grab irons, The doorway 20 is bounded on its sides by side steps, projecting running lights, and other ac-' posts 24 and 25, at the top'by a door header 26 5 cessories which do not conform to the general and at the bottom by a threshold 21. The thresh streamline shape of the vehicle. It is too often old 21 is substantially flush with the car floor supposed that the resistance caused by such ac- 28 and is secured to a channel 29 which consticessories is negligible, but as a matter of fact, tutcs part of the car framework. Beneath the the resistance is quite substantial. channel 29 is a side sill 30 which is inset at 3| 1 The principal object of this invention, thereso that the outside sheathing 32 will be flush fore, is to provide a retractable ladder or step for with the exterior face 33 of the side sill. access to the interior of a streamline railway Since the car floor 28 is some distance from the. car so that when the car is in motion, the ladder ground, it is necessary to provide one or more or step may be readily drawn into the car insteps for conveniently gaining entrance to the 15 terior and thus minimize the wind resistance ofcar interior through the doorway it. In the fered by the car as a whole. illustrative embodiment of the invention, the Further and other objects and advantages will steps take the form of a ladder 34 having sides become apparent as the disclosure proceeds and 35 and 36 connected by rungs 31 and 38, the latter the description is read in conjunction with the preferably being integral with the two sides. At 20 accompanying drawings, in which the threshold, the ladder sides are bent hori- Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken through a. zontally, as indicated at 39, and terminate in latgas-electric rail car equipped with this invention; orally x ding trunnions 40 and 4| which are Fig. 2 is a plan section taken on the line 2-2 journalled in trunnion bearings 42 and 43 secured of Fig. 1; to the side posts 24 and 25, respectively. The 25 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken ladder is equipped with spacer arms 44 which on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and join the sides 35 and 36 at the rung 31 and have Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the redownwardly extending ends 45 covered with rubtractable ladder in operative position, part ofthe ber sleeves 46 for engaging the face 33 of the side car structure being broken away; sill to hold the ladder in vertical position. 0

But this illustration is for the purpose of die- A hand hold 41 is attached along the forward closure only, and the appended claims should edge of the doorway 20, the direction of car movebe construed as broadly as the prior art will perment being indicated by the arrow in. Fig. 4. mit. This hand hold obviates the necessity of employ- The invention has been shown as applied to ing a grab iron on the outside of the car, and 35 the engine room door of a gas-electric rail car, consequently there is some saving in wind resistbut with suitable modifications, the invention ance. may be used for passenger doors. When the door 2| is to be closed, the ladder 34 In the illustrative embodiment of the invenis rotated on its trunnions through 180, bringing tion, the car is propelled by an internal comthe ladder to the full line position showninFig. 1. 40 bustion engine l0 mounted on a bed II which. is In this position, the ladder is entirely clear of detachable at 12 from the car body, generally inthe doorway and the door may be closed.

dicated. at 13, the engine bed including a body If desired, one of the ladder trunnions may be bolster I4 supported on a center bearing 15 carequipped with a pedal (not shown) to facilitate ried byatruck bolster I6 ofa conventional truck, the raising of the ladder. The pedal may be 5 indicated generally at IT. The engine In drives loosely mounted on the trunnion and engage a a generator (not shown) which supplies current lug on the trunnion to start the rotation.

to traction motors on one or more of the car The invention may be variously modified withtrucks, one of the motors being indicated at I8. in the scope of the appended claims.

50 A shield I9 is secured to the truck side frame to I claim:- 50 reduce wind resistance at the trucks. 1. In combination with a doorway of a stream- The car body is generally ovate in cross secline railway car, a door for said doorway, a handtion and has a doorway 20 in one of its sides hold secured to the inner margin of said doorway which is adapted tobe closed by a swinging door inwardly of said door, a retractable ladder trun- H hinged at 22 along its forward edge. The nioned on the inside of the doorway and adapted 55 when lowered to extend over the doorway thresherally extending trunnion bearings, one or more old below said handhold and project downrungs connecting the said sides, and spacer means wardly, said ladder being rotatable on its trunextending inwardly from said ladder for holding nions past said handhold to a vertical position the same spaced from the side of the car when within the car and clear 01' the doorway, whereby in lowered position, 5 when said door is closed said handheld and lad- 5. In combination with a door adapted to close der will be inwardly thereof. a doorway in a streamline railway car, a retract- 2. In combination with a doorway of a streamable ladder mounted on a horizontal pivot adjaadapted to engage the side of the car and hold ported in part in operative position by the side of w the ladder in spaced relation thereto, said ladthe car. der being rotatable on its trunnions to'a vertical 6. A swinging ladder for use on railway cars 15 position within the car and clear of the doorway. comprising a metallic bar bent to form sides and to swing outwardly and downwardly on a horicross member rigidly connected to intermediate 20- zontal axis to operative position, said steps being portions of said side members to form a 11mg at least partially supported in operative position of said ladder, and spacer members rigidly conby the side oi. the car. nected to said side members adjacent to said cross 4. A swinging ladder for use in railway cars member and extending inwardly therefrom.

comprising sides which at the top have horizontal inwardly extending portions terminating in lat- IVAR G. LINDSTEDT. 

